IELTS discuss both views essay: Structure & tips

Bhargavee Sisodia

30 Jul 2024

The kind of essays in IELTS writing task 2 especially those that have the structure of ‘discuss both views and give your opinion’ may at times, seem like walking through a maze. Fear not! Using the pen might be a challenge, but a good introduction increases your compass and sets the tone as you embark on writing the body part of your essay that will impress the examiner. Here's how to strategically build a strong opening: Grab the reader’s attention with a question, a statistic or a statement which has to do with the focus of the essay. For example, if the prompt discusses the impact of social media, you could begin with As a result of the growth of globalisation and the expansion of the Internet into social media sites, access to social networks has become a fact that defines communication, interaction, and the perception of identity. Those, however, the question of whether such platforms are beneficial for connexion or knowledge sharing and if they have a detrimental impact on welfare, remains an open and heated one.

What I mean by this is do not directly use the words of the prompt. In your own words, rewrite the sentence to prove that you understand what is at stake here. This also helps to prove that you can be able to think critically and find ways to present ideas in one’s thinking process. 

However, notice that the introduction is the first that you present to the examiner; thus, it should leave a good impression! Following the above steps, you are likely to develop an interesting and persuasive introduction with which you present the tone of the essay, as well as the analytical skills of the writer while effectively leading the reader through the following structured presentation and reiteration of both sides of the argument.

What is a Discuss Both Views Essay?

A “discuss both views and give your opinion” essay also referred to as “discuss both views” or “task 2 discuss both views” is a particular type of essay in IELTS Writing Task 2. In this format, the essay question states two arguments that are in some way contradictory to each other on a specific topic. Your task is to:

• Discuss: Explain and analyse the two observations for everyone to easily understand in terms of both pros and cons.
• Give Your Opinion: Also, indicate your position on the given topic, presenting arguments and reasons for that.

Breaking Down the Structure

Understanding the structure of a discuss both views essay is crucial for organizing your thoughts and writing a well-developed response. Here's a breakdown of the key components:

• Introduction (4-5 sentences)

  • Paraphrase the essay prompt.
  • Briefly introduce both viewpoints.
  • State your thesis statement, hinting at your opinion.
  • Briefly outline the structure of your essay.

• Body Paragraphs (2-3 paragraphs, each 5-7 sentences)

  • Discussing the First Viewpoint (1 paragraph)

    • Introduce the first viewpoint.
    • Explain why some people hold this view.
    • Provide an example or evidence to support this viewpoint.

  • Discussing the Second Viewpoint (1 paragraph)

    • Introduce the second viewpoint.
    • Explain why some people hold this view.
    • Provide an example or evidence to support this viewpoint.

• Conclusion (4-5 sentences)

  • Briefly summarize both viewpoints.
  • Restate your opinion more conclusively.
  • Provide a final thought or comment on the issue.

Top Tips for Writing a Stellar Discuss Both Views Essay

Planning and Brainstorming

• Analyze the Prompt: Make sure to read the specific question in the essay several times before proceeding with its solution. Describe the two opposing approaches and list possible arguments for the position among them.
• Organize Your Thoughts: The points below can be used to make a logical structure of your essay: Summarise, the arguments presented in the case on each viewpoint briefly and then you need to state your own opinion.

Making the Right First Impression

• Paraphrase the Prompt: Do not directly write what the topic is all about, instead, try paraphrasing the topic to show that you understand what it says.
• Introduce Viewpoints: Briefly summarise both positions so the reader has an insight into the flow of the discussion.
• Thesis Statement: Your thesis statement should present your stand on the issue in the prompt statement. But while your statement doesn't need to be clear and direct, suggesting it will help decide the direction of your essay.
• Structure Outline: Briefly state how all these viewpoints will be handled in the essay. This serves as an orientation for the reader including what he or she is expecting to gain from the write-up.

Presenting Balanced Arguments

• Fairness is Key: Devote about the same amount of time to each side of the issue regarding their presentation on the website. This helps to establish a fair composition of your essay and avoid extremities in one certain perspective.
• Strong Explanations: Explain why people, human beings, hold each point of view. It is best to employ rationality and proper arguments to justify the points that have been made here.

The Discussion with the aid of Examples and Evidence

• Support Your Claims: Support each stand you are taking with facts, examples, or statistical data from relevant sources.
• Real-World Relevance: Select examples that the reader can relate with and relate the discussion to the actual events happening around.

Concluding Powerfully

• Recap the Debate: Summarise the two viewpoints as presented in the body section of the paper in one or two sentences.
• Restate Your Opinion: The conclusion should reiterate the position you take on the issue under discussion and can be supported by additional arguments for the case.
• Final Thought: It is important that you end your writing on a powerful烛 word to somehow make a very lasting impact on the examiner. It can be to provide a solution, to make a prognosis concerning certain consequences in the future or to respond with a rhetorical question.

Practice Makes Perfect: Sample Topics and Outlines

Now that you're equipped with the structure and writing tips, let's put them into practice! Here are some sample topics and outlines for discussing both views essays to help you solidify your understanding:

Sample Topic 1: Technology

Prompt: Technology being an essential part of people’s everyday lives, plays a crucial role in their lives. Some opinions express the opinion that technology has made our lives easier and more convenient today. Some people believe that technology has drawbacks, for example, people get lonely and get addicted to it. Compare both of these and state your position.

Outline:

• Introduction: Reword the directions given; include the optimistic and pessimistic angles to the discussion of technology. Slightly express your point of view (for instance, although technology is advantageous its disadvantageous can also be mentioned).
• Body Paragraph 1: Explain the advantages of adopting technology: better communication, greater productivity, availability of sources, etc. Give an example (Example: how collaborative software allows for a cross-organisation collaboration).
• Body Paragraph 2: Enumerate the drawbacks of technology: social isolation, dependency, adverse impact on health, and so on Discuss an example of Social media use: Moderately linked with loneliness.
• Conclusion: Briefly summarize both views. Paraphrase your stance, possibly offer a compromise in which we embrace technology and at the same time avoid the negative impacts associated with the use of technology.

Sample Topic 2: Education

Prompt: As for the nature of education there is great controversy about what method is best. Some think that the classroom learning mode is the most effective. Some of them follow conventional means and feel that these are better as they involve the application of more innovation and the use of modern-day technology. Describe both these viewpoints and then state your view.

Outline:

• Introduction: Reword the above prompt, using the words Traditional and Innovative. Give a brief idea of what you think (for example, although it’s possible to familiarise yourself with the subject using conventional methods, applying innovative learning approaches will contribute greatly to the overall learning process).
• Body Paragraph 1: Explain how traditional classroom learning is effective: teacher-student contact, direct instruction, interpersonal communication, gaining social skills, etc. Describe an example (for instance, what discussions in class do: develop critical thinking skills and debate).
• Body Paragraph 2: Explain how innovative education methods including personalised education, use of enhanced forms of learning tools and access to diversified resources are important: Explain with an example (e.g., the Use of learning facilities such as online learning platforms enables students to learn through self-effort).
• Conclusion: Briefly summarize both views. This is summed up with a desire to toggle between conventional and modern teaching practices to establish the most optimal ways of learning.

Conclusion: Own Your IELTS Essay Success!

Thus, the “discuss both views and give your opinion” essay may seem terrifying at first This kind of essay, but given some sincere effort and a clear understanding of the approaches and methods used for this particular IELTS task, it is possible to cope with this task successfully. Always, always remember that it all starts and ends with planning, organisation, equal measure of argumentation and conclusion.

So with the help of this writing guide, you can come up with great papers that prove your capability to analyse and think critically. Do not hesitate to work with various subjects of the essay and get feedback to improve the material. Time consistency, and the right approach when answering IELTS Task 2 will certainly help one achieve good scores in this module.

Hence take a breath, dissect the prompt and fearlessly own up to the ‘discuss both views’ essay outline. So, you can achieve success in the IELTS writing task if you follow the tips that have been mentioned above.